How ZCWPW1 helps make healthy eggs and sperm
The role of ZCWPW1 in meiosis
This work looks at whether a gene called ZCWPW1 helps chromosomes separate correctly during egg and sperm formation, which can affect fertility.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175277 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how ZCWPW1 reads chemical tags on chromosomes during meiosis and whether that helps parental chromosomes pair and repair DNA breaks. They will use laboratory models to see what happens when ZCWPW1 is missing or altered, tracking chromosome pairing, DNA break repair, crossing over, and final chromosome separation. The team will focus on sites marked by the enzyme PRDM9 and measure whether problems lead to chromosome entanglements or the wrong number of chromosomes in eggs or sperm. Results are intended to explain basic causes of aneuploidy that lead to miscarriage and infertility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with unexplained infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss due to suspected chromosome errors may be most interested in this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose fertility issues are caused by non-chromosomal problems like hormonal disorders or structural reproductive issues are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal a root cause of some miscarriages and infertility and guide future tests or treatments to reduce chromosome errors in eggs and sperm.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and lab studies have shown ZCWPW1 is linked to PRDM9-marked sites and may affect DNA repair and pairing, but applying these findings to human fertility is still new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hammoud, Saher Sue — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Hammoud, Saher Sue
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.